Programme Lead Experimental Medicine, Research Infrastructure

Company Description

The NIHR is funded through the (DHSC) and was established with the aim of creating a health and care research system in which the NHS supports outstanding individuals, working in world‑class facilities, conducting leading‑edge research focused on the needs of patients and the public. The NIHR Research Infrastructure provides a platform to enable research by creating an environment where early stage and applied research can thrive.

Our Research Infrastructure consists of research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce and support services. The NIHR invests more than £606 million a year of infrastructure funding through a number of different five‑year infrastructure funding schemes.

We are looking to recruit an experienced, inquisitive and motivating manager to provide leadership to a team managing a portfolio of high profile National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) experimental medicine research infrastructure funding schemes.

The Programme Lead will provide leadership for the end‑to‑end grants and research management of NIHR’s experimental medicine research infrastructure portfolio, which includes the flagship Biomedical Research Centres, the Clinical Research Facilities, the Commercial Research Delivery Centres, the Health Tech Research Centres and others. The postholder will lead work to drive the evolution of the experimental medicine portfolio and shape its future direction.

In addition, they will play a key role in NIHR’s interaction with the experimental medicine community and will work closely with senior colleagues from the .

The Programme Lead will report to the Assistant Director of Research Infrastructure, will have responsibility for the activities of a team of Senior Research Managers and Research Managers, and will work closely with the broader Infrastructure team.

Lead the delivery and strategic development of the experimental medicine research infrastructure portfolio:

Portfolio development:
Develop and maintain expert knowledge of the funded portfolio in order to identify gaps or opportunities for greater impact and to build robust cases for new activities.

Strategic direction for existing funding schemes:
Oversee the delivery of scheme reviews and evaluations for your portfolio to develop recommendations for the next funding calls.

Working across the health and care research landscape:
Represent the schemes and portfolio in discussions with colleagues from DHSC, NIHR and beyond to ensure synergies are identified and can be capitalised on. Contribute to activities to raise the visibility of the awards within academic, clinical, public and government fora.

Commissioning of research:
Provide management oversight of the delivery of new funding competitions, development of application guidance notes, the organisation of international panel meetings, the production of minutes and provision of feedback to applicants.

Development of new funding calls:
Respond to ad hoc requests from DHSC / NIHR to develop and deliver new priority funding calls, mobilising resources to develop an appropriate assessment mechanism and suitable monitoring processes.

Contract management and annual reporting:
Support the team to process contractual requests / changes required during the lifetime of an award and requests for information (Parliamentary Questions, FOI requests or briefings for ministers). Monitor award progress through an annual reporting process and together with the Assistant Director, sign off on award holder feedback and monitor risk management.

Team Management and Support:
Guide the development of the individuals within your team to allow them to reach their potential. Co‑ordinate and delegate activities within your team and work together with the Assistant Director and Programme Lead for Applied Health Infrastructure to share learning and ensure consistency across the broader infrastructure team. Support efficient ways of working whilst maintaining attention to detail and delivery to deadlines.

Stakeholder engagement:
Deliver productive relationships with key stakeholders including…